Burns & McDonnell CEO Adds Three New Leadership Positions to the Firm

Posted January 8, 2024

Leslie Duke, the new CEO of Burns & McDonnell, has stepped into her role in a big way by starting the year addressing workforce shortages and appointing three new leadership positions and offices.

“I’m excited about growing our business responsibly and aligning our priorities to be accountable to each other, our clients and our communities,” Duke said in a release. “People are the most critical resource to accomplish what is laid out in front of us — to safely and successfully build the future of critical infrastructure.”

Duke believes these new positions will assist in leading Burns & McDonnell’s into its new revolution as the firm continues to expand.

“We need to be the top firm in technology and a firm that embarrasses innovation as it enters in to solve some of our biggest challenges. I look forward to leading Burns & McDonnell into that future robustly and without fear,” she said.

Part of Duke’s vision aims to address safety in the form of a chief safety officer, a first for the firm. Appointed to chief safety officer is Joe Podrebarac, who will report to Duke from the new corporate safety office.

Joe Podrebarac is Burns & McDonnell’s first chief safety officer. Photo via: Burns & McDonnell

Podrebarac most recently served as vice president and construction director of Oil, Gas & Chemical Group, before joining Burns & McDonnell in 2001. Podrebarac spent a decade working on field projects for major oil and gas producers before returning to world headquarters to begin his work on engineer-procure-construct (EPC) projects.

“Throughout my career, I’ve prioritized the safety of the firm’s people and projects, and now I will use my experience to focus on elevating our corporate safety culture,” Podrebarac said in the release. “Our goal is to build each of our personal commitments to safety and well-being.”

The next role is another first for the firm. Matt Olson was appointed as Burns and MacDonnell’s new chief innovation officer and will work on developing an innovation office as well as cultivating more robust collaborative efforts for the firm to implement.

Matt Olson is Burns & McDonnell’s first chief innovation officer. Photo via: Burns & McDonnell

Most recently, Olson served as vice president and managing director of the firm’s Telecom Group. He brings with him 20 years of experience, including the development of industry-leading documentation systems.

“We know not every idea will work the first time,” Olson said in the release. “But we believe in a culture of innovation where failure can move us forward. Burns & McDonnell is full of problem-solvers and futuristic thinkers who can identify what is next to help our clients.”

Chris Baxter is now the firm’s first chief risk officer who, in addition to risk management, will focus on acquiring projects that add to the firm’s value to clients and communities.

Chris Baxter is Burns & McDonnell’s first chief risk officer. Photo via: Burns & McDonnell.

Baxter recently served as the firm’s vice president of risk management, overseeing the project risk management evaluation process and insurance program.

“We need to drive long-lasting value by working on quality projects to drive success for our clients and the communities we serve,” Baxter said in the release. “It is our responsibility to focus on minimizing our risks and to take accountability for our work and the projects we do.”